Combination land, air, and water craft



Oc t. 14! 1924. 1,511,689

. J. P. TARBOX COMBINATI-ON LAND, AIR, AND WATER CRAFT Filed Sept. 21, i922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 10 L T 20 g i 20 2:? E

- Z2 11 Y 16 f I jg 1'6 JOHN PTAaeox.

sa n 5 Oct; 14 I924- J. P. TARBOX COMBINATION LAND, AIR, AND WATER CRAFT Filed Sept. 21 1922 2 Shuts-Sheet z 0% @E mm 3mm JOHN PT/maox.

parts:

Patented 0a; 14, 1924.

UNITED STATES" PATENT orrlcn.

JOHN r. 'manox, or sAnDn-N CITY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR, BYMIESNE ASSIGNMENTS, 'ro cunrrss AEROPLANE AND MOTOR COMPANY, INC., or GARDEN cIrY, NEW

YORK, A. CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

comBINArIoN LAND, Am, AND WATER cm'r.

Applicationfiled September 21, 1922. Serial No. 589,583.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known, that I, JOHN P. TARBOX, a citizen of the United States, residing at Garden City, in the county of Nassau and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Combination Land, Air, and Water Craft, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to aircraft, and

more particularly to seaplanes of the flying boat type.

A principal object of the invention is the provlsion of means, preferably under the control of the pilot or other occupant of the craft whereby, if desired, or, should occasion demand, a landing may be made or a ftake-ofl effected respectively on and from land as well as water.

A further object of the invention is to so organize and relate the parts comprised in' the combination gear that an absolute minimum of head resistance is encountered regardless of whether the machine is operated as a land, air, or. water craft.

A still further objectlof the invention is to so relate the retractible land lighting gear to the conventional motor supports that in the extended. position of the landing gear only a portion of each landing wheel is exposed; the shock absorbing mechanism, as well as the supports for the landing wheels, being effectually housed and ad uately streamlined in suitable casings also enclose the. motor supports and the landing wheels when retracted.

'Other objects, advantages, and improved results will be noted upon a better understanding of the'constructionand operation of the machine.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters denote like or corresponding Figure l is a front end elevation of an aeroplane constructed in accordance with the, present invention, the land operating gear being shown in an extended position.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the machine with the parts' positioned as illustrated in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a detail longitudinal vertical sectional view of one of the streamlined 'sign is shown. Such flying boat comprises casings showing the mounting for the wheels of the land operating gear.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken at right angles to the'section in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the detail construction of the latch mechanism, and v Figure 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Figure 5. v

In the embodiment of 'the invention selected for illustration a twin motored flying boat of more or less conventional dea hull or body portion 10 having side fins or excrescences v11 formed on opposite sides thereof in lateral continuation of its hydrop'laning bottom surface 12, Preferably the side fins 11 emanate from the extreme bow of the hull or body'portion 10 and widen gradually to a point substantially mid-ships where they terminate squarely in line with the transverse step 13 ordinarily to befound in flying boat construction. From'the step 13 aft, the bottom of the hull or body portion 10 is inclined upwardly.

Intermediately of its ends the hull or bodyportion 10 is provided with support ing surfaces 14, said supporting surfaces being preferably superposed and connected by wing struts 15, suitably braced. Between the superposed supporting surfaces 14, and preferably symmetrically at opposite sides of the hull or bod portion 10, twin motors 1616 are dispose Each motor 16 is supported in its elevated position by' means -of-motor supports 1? bearing at one end directly upon the lower supporting surface. Directly beneath the motor supports 17 the wheels 18 of the land operating gear are disposed. Said wheels, 18 are retractible from an extended position below the lowermost point of the hydroplaning bottom surface 12 of the hull 10 to a position above such bottom surface, the wheels in their retracted position being wholly enclosed in suitable streamlined housings or casings 19 extended between the lower supporting surface 14 and the side fins 11. Above the lower supporting surface 14, and in continuation of the casings 19 housings or casings '20 are provided, the latter casings being of a' construction similar to the casings 19 and so related to the motor supports 17 as to completely enclose the same. 1 I

The heels 18 of the landoperating gear are mounted on axles 21 ournaled-in qearings (not shown) mounted in the ends of yoke supports 22 slidably mounted within the casings 19. As a guide means for the yoke supports 22 grooves 23 are provided,

the grooves 23 bein formed on the inside of the casin s 19.

Vithin each groove 23 La tongue 24 is disposed, the tongue 24 being slidable vertically within the grooves when the landing wheels 18 are either extended or retracted.

The casings 19 and (see Fig. 4) are vertically aligned. Within the casings 20 the shock absorbing mechanism for the land operating gear is enclosed. Such mechanism comprises a sliding sleeve 24', a fixed sleeve 25, shock absorber elastics 26, and supports or saddles 27 over which the shock ab- 'sorber elastics 26 are laced. In the extended position of the land operating gear the sleeve 24' is movable relatively to the sleeve 25 and as each sleeve is made as an integral part of the two sets of saddles 27, obviously the displacement of the wheels 18 in landing will cause the shock absorber elastics to yield. The fixed sleeve 25 is flanged at its lower endas at 28 and fastened as at 29 to the lining 30 of the casing 19 into which it extends. In this manner the sleeve 25 is held at all times absolutely rigid. The sleeve 24' for a portion of its length is slidable within the sleeve 25 andmeans of which the extension and retraction of the land 0 erating gear is controlled.

Such latch mec anismcomprises toggle levers 35 pivoted as at 36 and rovided at one end with projections 37 whic are adapted to enter openings 38-.formed in the sliding sleevef24'. Between the toggle levers 35 a spring 39 is disposed, the function of which.

is to at all times urge the projections 37 toward said openin 38. At their opposite ends the toggle evers 35 have fastened thereto an operating cord 40 which extends upwardly through the hollow of the sleeve 24'- to a pulley 41, and thence laterally inwardly from the pulley 41. to a drum or Windlass enclosed in the hull or body 10,

preferably in convenient proximity to the pilots seat. When the ro 'ections 37 of the -toggle levers 35 are wit in the openings 38 p of the sliding sleeve, *rigid connection is effected between the yoke supports 22 and said sleeve, thereby causing the shock absorber elastics 26 to be stretched in a landin operation. Such rigid connection is maintained at all; times when it is desired that the machine be operated as a land machine. To retract the wheels 18 of the land operating gear to positions within the casings 19 the operating cords 40 are pulled inwardly, such pull first withdrawing the projections 37 from the opening 38 by compressing the spring 39, and immediately such projections are withdrawn, bodily withdrawing the wheels 38 inwardly until comletely housed with the streamlined casings.

ravity alone is suflicient to extend the wheels when it is desired that they be so extended.

From the foregoin it, is obvious that the side fins 11 efiective ly brace the land opcrating gear by reason of .the direct connection between the side fins and the lower supporting surface. The casings 19 moreover, b reason .of their dis sition in vertical alignment with the casings 20 position the wheels 18 the desired distance apart and directly its complete enclosure within the casings 19 and 20 ofiers no resistance whatsoever to forward travel, and even when extended, an absolute minimum of resistance follows by reason of the fact that only portions of the wheels 18 are exposed.

While I have described my invention in detail in its present preferred embodiment, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art after understandin my invention, that various chan es an modifications may be made therem without departing from the spirit or scope thereof. I aim in the appended claims to cover all such modifications and changes.

What I claim is l. A- combination land, air, and water craft comprising one or more aeroplane supporting surfaces, a flotation body' so disposed in its relation to said supporting surface as to enable operation of the machine on water, wheels likewise so disposed in relation to said supporting surface as to enable operation of the machine on land, mechanism operable to extend and retract the wheels according to whether or not it is desired to operate the machine on land or water, and

devices carried by and dependent from the supporting surface on opposite sides of the flotation body within which the wheels are enclosed when retracted.-

"2. A combination land, air, and water craft comprising one or more aeroplane suporting surfaces, a flotation body so disposed in its relation to said supporting surface a to enable operation of the machine on water wheels likewise so disposed in their relation beneath the motors 16. The land operating gear, when retracted, by reason ofto said supporting surface as to enable operation of the machine on land, mechanism to enable operation of the machine on water,

fin excrescences at opposite sides of the flotation body, wheels likewise so disposed in their relation to said supporting surface as to enable operation of the machine'on land, mechanism operable to extend and retract the whcels according to whether or not it is desired to operate the machine on land or water, and devices arranged at opposite sides of the flotation body and extending be tween said supporting surface and the fin excrescences, said devices being so disposedin relation to the wheelsaforesaid as to provide an inolosure therefor when said Wheels are retracted.

4. A combination land, air, and Water craft comprising one or more aeroplane supportingsurfaces, a flotation body so disposed in its relation to said supporting surface as to enable operation of the machine on water, wheels likewise so disposed in their relation to said supporting surface as to enable operation of the machine on ,land, a; dual power plant arrangement comprlsing motor supports symmetrically arranged at opposite sides of the flotation body above the lowermost supporting surface, an enclosure arranged vertically beneath each motor support, the enclosures in each instance being extended beneath the supporting surface to provide housings within which the wheels are enclosed when retracted, and mechanism operable to extend and retract said wheels according to whether or not it is desired to operate the machine as a land or water craft.

5. A combination land, air, and water craft comprising one or more aeroplane supporting surfaces, a flotation body so disposed in its relation to said supporting surface as to enable operation of the machine on water; wheels likewise so disposed in relation to said supporting surface as to enable operation of the machine on land, a power plant arrangement including separate motor supports symmetrically arranged on opposite sides of the flotation body, mechanism operable to extend and retract the wheels according to whether or not it is desired to operate the machine on land or water, and vertically extending substantially streamlined enclosures disposed beneath said motor supports, the enclosures in each instance beingextended beneath said supporting surface to provide housings within which said wheels are enclosed when retracted.

6. A combination land, air, and water craft comprising one or more aeroplane supporting surfaces, a flotation body, a motor support carried by the supporting surface, a wheeled landing gear, mechanism operable to extend and retract the wheels of said landing gear, and a substantially streamlined housing likewise carried by the supporting surface disposed directly beneath the motor support, said housing in its relation to said wheels being such that an enclosure therefor is provided when said wheels are retracted.

7. In a combination land, air, and water craft, an aeroplane supporting surface, a flotation body, a wheel movable from a retracted position above the bottom of the flotation body to an extended position beneath said bottom, mechanism operable to extend and retract said wheel, shock absorber mechanism for said wheel, and a substantially streamlined housing within which the shock absorber mechanism is enclosed and within which the wheel is adapted to be. withdrawn when retracted, said housing being laterally spaced out from said flotation body.

8. In a combination land, air, and water craft, an aeroplane supporting surface, a flotation body, a wheel movable from aretracted position above the bottom of said body to an extended position below said bottom, a power plant arrangement includinga motor su port erected directly over. said wheel, mec anism operable to extend and retract said wheel, and a substantially streamlined housing carried by the support ing surface and within which the wheel, when retracted, and the motor support, are enclosed. a

9. In a combination land, air, and water craft, an aeroplane supporting surface, a flotation body, a wheel movable from a retracted position above the bottom of said body to an extended position below said bottom, shock absorber mechanism for said wheel, a motor support, and a vertically disposed housing within which the wheel, when retracted, the shock absorber mechanism, and the motor support, are all completely enclosed.

10. In a combination land, air, and water craft, an aeroplane supporting surface, a flotation body, a wheel movable from a retracted position above the bottom of said body to an extended position below said bottom, a motor support, said motor support being positioned directly over said wheel and above the plane of said sup-porting surface, and a housing carried by and extended above and below said supporting surface,

that portion of said housing extended above said supporting surface providing an enclosure for the motor support, and that portion of said housing extended below said supportin surface providing an enclosure for the wl ieel when retracted.

11. In a combination land, air, and water craft, an aeroplane supporting surface, a flotation body, a wheel movable from a retracted position above the bottom of said body to an extended position below said bottom, shock absorber mechanism for said wheel, a motor support positioned directly above said wheel in a plane above the horizontal plane of said supporting surface, a

housing carried by said supportin surface and extended thereabove to provi e an enclosure for said motor support and therebeneath to provide an enclosure for said wheel when retracted, said shock absorber mechanism being likewise enclosed within said housing, and mechanism operable to extend and retract said wheel according to whether or not it is desired to operate 'the machine as a land or water craft.

12. In a combination land, air, and water craft, a flotation body, fin excrescences formed on said body at opposite sides thereof, an'aeroplane supporting surface including stub wings extendin laterally out from said body on opposite si es thereof, a power plant arrangement including separate motor supports disposed directly over said supporting surface at opposite sides of said body, substantially streamlined housings below said bottom, shock absorber mecha-- nism for each wheel, said vshock absorber mechanism being likewise enclosed within said housing, and mechanism operable to extend and retract said wheels.

13. In a combination land, air, and water craft, a centrally located flotation body having a hydroplaning bottom surface, a supporting surface a power plant arrangement including separate motorsupports mounted upon said supporting surface symmetrically at opposite sides of said body, wheels disposed directly beneath the motor supports, mechanism operable to move .the wheels from a retracted position above the hydroplaning bottom surface of the body to an extended position below said bottom surface, and housin'gs positioned directl beneath the motor supports within whic said wheels are enclosed when retracted.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

JOHN P. TARBOX. 

